Andrew Jackson Jihad was formed after its original drummer, Justin James White, approached Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty, who had just left Rodan (not the Rodan of Kentucky fame) and The Sub-Standards. Since then, many significant Arizona musicians have sat in with the remaining duo of Sean and Ben, including John De La Cruz of Fatigo and Asleep In The Sea's Owen Evans. Dylan Cook also plays mandolin regularly with the band.
According to Songfacts, Bonnette, who is also the lyricist of the band (with upright bass player Ben Gallant handling most of the production and some vocals as well) volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline for teenagers for eight years, and worked with homeless men and women in the Phoenix, Arizona area. These experiences gave him a sometimes bleak, but at moments, hopeful outlook on life, often reflected in the band's lyrics.
On Halloween 2005, Andrew Jackson Jihad covered Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea album in its entirety at CounterCulture Cafe.
Their biggest performance to date has been in their hometown with Flogging Molly and Authority Zero on St. Patrick's Day 2006.
On April 15, 2006, the band played as part of the 2006 New Times Music Showcase, nominated for Best Americana Band, and won a 2006 Best of Phoenix later that year.
Besides their local shows, where they have become arguably the most prominent representative in Arizona of the DIY ethic, they have also toured in clubs and basements across the Western United States, appearing at such venues as the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, CA. One show in Kimberly, Idaho saw the band in a cowboy bar and leaving the premises as soon as possible after the show.
Andrew Jackson Jihad also performed at St. Augustine, Florida's second annual Harvest of Hope Festival in 2010. They played a dual set with Bomb the Music Industry!
I Wanna Rock Out in My Dreams
Andrew Jackson Jihad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Instead of waking up I wanna sleep
Wearing black leather pants
With boots too tall to see me
I wanna rock out in my dreams
Since I got back from the place you live
I haven’t been the same, I just eat and drink a lot
And I could even rhyme that with kiss you
But these days that just seems too goddamn cheap
I wanna rock out in my dreams
Instead of waking up, I wanna sleep
Sweet dick denim jacket shredding a flying-V
I wanna rock out in my dreams
The older I get, the better I am at lying
The more friends and family I have dead or dying
It’s harder to define love
I’ve gotta drink more if I wanna catch a buzz
The older I get, the more articulate I am at whining
I wanna rock out in my dreams
I wanna rock out in my dreams
I wanna rock out in my dreams
I wanna rock out in my dreams
The song "I Wanna Rock Out in My Dreams" by Andrew Jackson Jihad is a melancholic yet whimsical reflection of the singer's desire to escape reality and live in a perpetual dream state. The chorus repeats the desire to "rock out in my dreams," wearing black leather pants, boots too tall to see, and a sweet dick denim jacket shredding a flying-V. The lyrics establish a wistful longing for a life that is unattainable and an acknowledgment of the difficulties that come with growing up and facing the harsh realities of life.
The second verse reveals the singer's struggles to cope with the loneliness and sadness of not being with the person they miss. The lyrics suggest that the singer may be battling with depression and are using their dreams as a form of escape from their everyday struggles. The song's bridge juxtaposes the singer's growing ability to lie more convincingly as they age with the harsh reality of losing loved ones, making it difficult to define love. As the song concludes, the chorus resurfaces, emphasizing that the singer wants to "rock out in [their] dreams" on repeat.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna rock out in my dreams
I desire to play music and perform on stage while I am asleep
Instead of waking up I wanna sleep
I do not want to wake up from my dreams because reality is not as satisfying
Wearing black leather pants
Clothing that represents my persona as a rock musician
With boots too tall to see me
Footwear that adds to my stage presence as a rockstar
Since I got back from the place you live
Since coming back from visiting you, I am not the same person
I haven’t been the same, I just eat and drink a lot
I have lost my drive and replaced it with bad habits like overeating and excessive drinking
I should probably say that I miss you
I feel like I should express my feelings of longing towards you
And I could even rhyme that with kiss you
I could use poetic devices to express my desire to be with you
But these days that just seems too goddamn cheap
But it feels insincere and meaningless to use clichés and rhyming in expressing my emotions
Sweet dick denim jacket shredding a flying-V
A cool denim jacket and guitar for my imaginary rockstar persona
The older I get, the better I am at lying
As I age, I become more skilled in deceiving myself and others
The more friends and family I have dead or dying
As I experience more loss and death in my life, I become more cynical and detached from others
It’s harder to define love
As I grow older, the concept of love becomes more complicated and difficult to understand
I’ve gotta drink more if I wanna catch a buzz
I need to consume more alcohol to feel the intended effects
The older I get, the more articulate I am at whining
As I age, I become better at complaining and expressing my dissatisfaction with life
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
steroalt
I want to rock out in my dreams
Instead of waking up, I want to sleep
Wearing black leather pants
With boots too tall to see me
I want to rock out in my dreams
Since I got back from the place you live
I haven’t been the same, I just eat and drink a lot
I should probably say that I miss you
And I could even rhyme that with kiss you
But these days that just seems too goddamn cheap
I want to rock out in my dreams
Instead of waking up, I want to sleep
Sweet dick denim jacket, shredding a flying-V
I want to rock out in my dreams
The older I get, the better I am at lying
The more friends and family I have dead or dying
It’s harder to define love
I’ve gotta drink more if I wanna catch a buzz
The older I get, the more articulate I am at whining
I want to rock out in my dreams
I want to rock out in my dreams
I want to rock out in my dreams
I want to rock out in my dreams
Whoas
"The older I get the more articulate I am at whining"
Ha, perfect
Alexander Jones
How much more articulate at whining would you say you are since you made this comment?
Cinto Valenzuela
@Alexander Jones very I would guess
Gary Kirby
Hate to say it, but, I can relate to that lyric so much!
Xi Pluto
I'm reporting this for not having a sense of humor ! I mean come on on people!! Articulate at whining I beg to differ. Whatever anyways:/
Gary Kirby
@Xi Pluto A lot of men out there in this world have had many hours of pleasure talking and singing to cows.
steroalt
I want to rock out in my dreams
Instead of waking up, I want to sleep
Wearing black leather pants
With boots too tall to see me
I want to rock out in my dreams
Since I got back from the place you live
I haven’t been the same, I just eat and drink a lot
I should probably say that I miss you
And I could even rhyme that with kiss you
But these days that just seems too goddamn cheap
I want to rock out in my dreams
Instead of waking up, I want to sleep
Sweet dick denim jacket, shredding a flying-V
I want to rock out in my dreams
The older I get, the better I am at lying
The more friends and family I have dead or dying
It’s harder to define love
I’ve gotta drink more if I wanna catch a buzz
The older I get, the more articulate I am at whining
I want to rock out in my dreams
I want to rock out in my dreams
I want to rock out in my dreams
I want to rock out in my dreams
ADJAX
It captures the moment pretty well tbh. The instrumental makes it even more... Sincere.
spoilt milk
this song is kinda like a sufjan stevens song as in it's sad and so raw with emotions like everything from the vocals to the instrumentals feels like it evoques a very specific emotion that i can't quite pinpoint
Dios
Like Daniel Johnston in a way